Think twice before travelling outside US: Indians with H-1B, F-1 visas, green cards warned by immigration attorneys

Immigration attorneys have warned the Indians as the US has tightened the visa policies overnight though India is not on the proposed travel ban list of the White House.

The reasons for the advisory are delay in stamping at US consulates at their home country, increased vetting, secondary inspection and also detention at US airports upon arrival.

"This sounds heartless but foreigners (especially those needing to renew H-1B or F-1 visas) must think twice before leaving the US right now," said Kripa Upadhyay, an immigration attorney in Seattle, as quoted by The Times of India.

The Indians have been warned that a return to the home country could lead to a long-term delay in return or in some cases, a permanent block in re-visit.

The advisory has been issued in the backdrop of the US State Department's change in the eligibility requirements for interview waiver appointments also known as dropbox appointments.

In the previous system, applicants could qualify for interview waiver if they were applying for a non-immigrant visa (except B visitor visa) within 48 months of its expiration.

However, the new policy allows the applications to qualify for interview waiver applying for the same category of visa only within 12 months of its expiration.

For better understanding, if an applicant whose H1-B visa expired over a year ago, the individual will have to stand in the queue and wait for the interview.

The same goes for F-1 visa holders who want to upgrade to the H1-B category. 

Moreover, the H1-B visa approval on paper is not the ultimate green signal.

Even if the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has approved an H1-B, the consular officer is empowered to refuse the visa and redirect the application back to the USCIS.